Hard work brings joy for Utah Jazz's DeMarre Carroll

NBA • Small forward intends to make his presence known with his energy.

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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Morgan • DeMarre Carroll knows what's coming. Another position battle. Another month-long training camp that's supposed to be about detailed preparation for the 2012-13 NBA season but technically is an all-out war.

For three years in the NBA, Carroll couldn't make anything stick. He was a first-round disappointment in Memphis, then overlooked and cast aside in Houston and Denver.

For a month with the Jazz during the 2011-12 season, Carroll finally made it work. After quietly being signed midseason and stuck on Utah's bench for 21 forgettable games, the former Missouri standout was given a real shot in March and quickly came to life. Carroll averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds during the Jazz's last 13 regular-season games, playing a key role in Utah's resilient push for the postseason and only losing his spot in the starting rotation when the Jazz faced San Antonio in the first round.

Now, Carroll's climb will begin again. Utah still hasn't settled on a starting small forward, and the 6-foot-8, 212-pound hustler from Birmingham, Ala., plans to cash in on coach Tyrone Corbin's often-repeated statement that all five of the Jazz's primary roles are up for grabs when camp opens in October.

"I've been doing it my whole life," said Carroll, following a Junior Jazz appearance Monday at the Trojan Legacy Center near Morgan High School. "Guys like me, there's a lot of need for guys like me in the NBA."

Does Carroll care about the buildup? No. Like many, he sees the depth as a team asset. And he knows that every strong NBA squad features one rotational player content to scrap, claw and dig  and occasionally drill a wide-open 3-pointer.

"Top teams, they have one guy who's an energy guy," said Carroll, who's averaged 3 points, 2 rebounds and 11.1 minutes since entering the league as the No. 27 overall pick in the 2009 draft. "You can look at Memphis: Tony Allen. Thunder: [Thabo] Sefolosha. You can always go down the list. At one point, Chicago: Ronnie Brewer was out there, doing his thing."

Carroll expects to enter camp in excellent health. A sprained left ankle that limited his play in Summer League action has healed well. He recently participated in Don McLean-run workouts with Indiana's Paul George and Danny Granger in Los Angeles, fine-tuning a 3-point shot that showed improvement during his April rise. A Chicago trip to team up with Utah center Enes Kanter is also on the calendar.

By the time Carroll kicks up his activity in September, preparing for the grind of a month-long camp, his focus will be as much mental as physical. Carroll wants to set the tone as soon as Corbin blows his whistle, believing he can gain an edge in the battle for a rotation spot by being the most aggressive athlete on the court.

"My energy going into training camp is really going to set the bar [for] how our team go," Carroll said. "I'm a very emotional guy when I'm on the court. … We already got our leaders. But still, going in, lead by example, by my energy and by my level of play."

Monday was devoted to relaxing and giving back. Taking the reins from Evans and Favors, Carroll led about 100 Morgan children and teenagers in an hour-long session centered around basketball fundamentals, smiles and laughter.

He joked about Favors always being hungry and eating all the food on the team plane. He said Jefferson is a bully, technically Kanter's big brother, and the sweetest mean guy in the league. And when Carroll drained a running half-court shot, eliciting a roar from the Morgan faithful, the first of 16 Junior Jazz camps this week in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho became exactly what Carroll wanted it to be: a reminder hard work brings real joy.

"It's amazing to come out there with these kids. … I've been going through this and I was always like them. I was the second-, third-tier guy  not the most-talented guy," Carroll said.

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